Recovering from COVID-19 pandemic “will be immense” task for South Africa: Ramaphosa
Recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic will be an uphill task for South Africa, according to President Cyril Ramaphosa.
Ramaphosa made the remarks on Friday in Johannesburg at the funeral of Ambassador John Kgoana Nkadimeng, an anti-apartheid activist.
“The coronavirus pandemic has had a devastating impact not just on public health, but on livelihoods,” said the president.
“Many people have lost their jobs and their incomes. Our already fragile economy has been significantly damaged and the task of recovery will be immense,” he added.
South Africa is the worst affected country by the COVID-19 pandemic in Africa, having reported 572,865 confirmed cases and 11,270 deaths.
Globally, the number of COVID-19 infections in South Africa are only shadowed by figures posted by the United States, Brazil, India and Russia.
The country has registered 52.6 percent of Africa’s total cases and 45.5 percent of its fatalities.
The pandemic has impacted South Africa’s economy massively, with many citizens losing their jobs as businesses reported losses.
In his remarks on Friday, Ramaphosa called upon South Africans to unite in the quest to help the country beat the effects of the pandemic.
“Drawing on the spirit of Ntate Nkadimeng, we must unite as social partners in government, business, labour and civil society to do everything within our means to rebuild our economy,” he said.
